‘The Republican Senate Needs New Leadership’: Trump Grills McConnell, GOP Senators For Throwing ‘A Lifeline’ To Democrats

Former President Donald Trump appeared on “Hannity” Thursday night and criticized Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and the ten other Republican senators who voted with Democrats to extend the debt ceiling until December.

“He threw him a lifeline that they didn’t have to throw them,” host Sean Hannity said after introducing the 45th President. Trump replied that “the Republican Senate needs new leadership” and that McConnell “isn’t the guy” to lead the party.

“I’ve been saying it for a long time,” Trump said. “Mitch isn’t the guy, not the right guy, not doing the job. He gave them a lifeline, it’s more than a lifeline, he gave them so much time now to figure out what to do because they were in a real big bind.”

WATCH:

A last-minute deal from McConnell staved off fears that the U.S. would default on its debts in October.  McConnell’s previously doubled down on raising the debt ceiling. (RELATED: Yellen: US Will Be Out Of Money In October If Congress Doesn’t Raise Debt Ceiling)

“He had the weapon and he was unable to use it and it’s a shame, it’s a shame,” Trump told Hannity. “I will tell you this. That’s not a good thing that happened today. He made a big mistake.”

Trump joins other Republicans in criticizing the legislation, which passed 50-48 and saw eleven GOP senators vote with Democrats to raise the debt ceiling until December. Sens. John Cornyn of Texas, John Thune and Mike Rounds of South Dakota, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rob Portman of Ohio, Richard Shelby of Alabama, John Barrasso of Wyoming and Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia voted in favor of the legislation.